Sealed container



Jan. 5, 1937. E. M. CARHART SEALED CONTAINER Filed Jan. 51, 1934 m. 9 n J W W a rlal dlllllllilve.

Patented Jan. 5, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I SEALED CONTAINER Elizabeth MrCarhart, Clarendon, Va. Application January 31, 1934, Serial No. 709,229

9 Claims. (o1..215- s) The invention relates to sealing meansfor containers and has as an-object the provision of means to provide a seal of paraflin or the like for" containers havingscrew threaded or beaded caps.

A further object ofthe invention'is to provide a sealed container that may be very readily opened without danger of cutting the hands.

It is "a further object of the invention to provide a sealed container-which will remain of value after the orig nal contents are exhausted.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a sealed container that may be opened without recourse to any special tool.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a paraflin, wax or the" like seal for screw threaded containers of glass, metal or fiber that will automatically apply the sealing material to the screw threads when the cap is applied. 1 l

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following description when read with the accompany drawing showing illustrative embodiments of theinventionand wherein Fig. '1 is .a detail perspective view of the screw threaded cap of a container,

i "Fig..-2"is a perspective view partly' broken away-of a. screw cap, in' place, i

Fig. 3 is a detail vertical section of a modified form,

4 Fig; 4 is alike view of the sealof Fig. 3 in finaliposition,

Figs.5 and 6 are, detail perspective sectional views of furthermmodified forms of cap, and

Fig; .'7 is a central vertical section of a. further modification showing a possible formaof tool to applyfthe cap. Containers closed by screw caps have many advantages over look seamv closed containers or those to be opened by tearing metal or soldered strips. Among these advantages are the readiness with which they may be opened. No special tools, as can openers, keys, or the like are needed. There is no danger of cutting the hands. Also, the containers are of maximum use when the original contents are exhausted.

The last named advantage is of suificient importance to many purchasers to induce them to purchase goods offered for sale in screwcapped containers in lieu of goods in other forms of containers, if the goods are of about equal acceptability.

Heretofore it has not been possible to pack goods which must be strictly air-tightin screwthreaded containers, particularly of metal, as

'capeof'themelted' wax downwardly over the they could not be readily and efiectively sealed. This is particularly true of metal containers as they mustbe of thin metal which springs too much-to permit of applying sufiicient pressure upon the gasket to'insure air tightness.

These difliculties are avoided in the present invention by providing means in the cap to carry a supply of *congealable liquid sealing material that maybe squeezed into the screwthreads either by the act of screwing the cap home or by a separate-operation.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the container ill may be of glass or metal formed withthe screw threads H. The screw threaded portion is shown as joining the body of the container at the tapered portion l2; The cap I3 is shown as formed with complementary internal screw threads 14 to coact with threads ll.

To carry a supply of sealing liquid, as melted parafiin or the like, the skirt l5 of the cap is turnedtdform' an inwardly and upwardly opening pocket 16.

When the-cap is to be applied its open lower end may be dipped into the melted wax and immediately applied. When the skirt engages the inclined surface l2 the pocket It will be partially or wholly collapsed, thus squeezing the wax upward intothe screw threads to congeal therein and form a'seal. It will be seen that when the contents of the pocket are ejected the inner and lower surface of the exterior of the pocket, as at' |'l,:' will be in contact with the body of the container, thus preventing essurface of the container.

In the form ofthe invention of Figs. 3 and 4, the side l8 of the container is made straight. The pocket [9 is made with the skirt flaring outwardly as shown to pass the screw threads. After this form of cap I3 is applied the pocket l9 must be collapsed by a separate operation to eject its contents. The collapsing pressure will press the inner surface of the exterior of the pocket against the body of the container, thus forcing, the contents to go upwardly.

In the form of Fig. 5 the pocket for sealing material is carried in the screw threads. In this form the cap 13 is shown as a plain cylinder, although it may flare downwardly, and the screwthreads are shown as formed by applying a ribbon of metal to the inner surface of the cylinder, as by soldering the lower edge of the ribbon to the cap, as at 2|. The upper edge of the ribbon is shown as inclining inwardly,

and rolled at 22 at its edge to provide added thickness and a bearing upon the male screwthreads. The lower end 23 of the ribbon is shown as more tightly rolled to form a narrow entering end of the screwthread. In this form of the invention if the sealing means is hot enough to be toolimpid, it may have a tendency to flow downwardly along and out of the screwthreads before the cap can be applied to the container.

To avoid the latter difficulty the form of Fig. 6 shows a roll of absorbent material 24, as Wicking, carried in the pocket to hold the liquid sealing material until the cap can be applied. It will be obvious that such wicking maybe sup.- plied in the pockets of the other modifications if found desirable for any reason.

Fig. '7 shows a form of the invention'applicable to a bottle or container 25 having a circumferential bead 26, as distinguished from a screwthread. The cap! in this form is formed: with the pocket 21 to: receive the sealing material. The amount of such sealing material should. be so limited as not tooverflow into. the container when the pocket is collapsed.

I claim 1. The method. ofsealing a container which comprises providing a source of supply of 'congealable liquid sealing material between the opposed surfaces of the container and its closure, expelling said liquid from said source by pressure to cause the liquid to 'fiowand congeal between said surfaces.

2. The method of sealing containers which comprises applying to the container a closure carrying a. supply of congealable liquid, and at least partially collapsing the supply carrying means to. expel the congealable liquid between the opposed surfaces of the container and. closure.

3. A sealing cap for containers'comprising, in combination: a closure portion; askirt portion; an inwardly and upwardly opening, collapsible pocket carried by said skirt portion; a body of sealing wax carried wholly in. said pocket to be in liquid condition when the cap is' applied. to a container; whereby collapse-:of said pocket against the wall of ascontainer: may expel. the wax to congeal between opposed surfaces of the skirt portion of the'container.

4. A scalable container comprising, in combination: a container; carrying an. external ridge extending thereabout adjacent an open .end; .a cap formed with an internal groove to'interlock with said ridge; an inwardly and upwardly opening pocket carried by said: cap; and..a supply of congealable sealing materiaLin said pocket surface of said body flaring outwardly below said ridge portion; a cap formed with an internal groove to be forced into engagement with said ridge. when. the cap is applied; and an inwardly and upwardly opening pocket carried by the skirt. of said cap to carry flowable sealing .material to be expelled by contact with said flaring surface by forced application of said cap.

"7.A sealableacontainer comprising, in combination: a container carrying an external ridge extending thereabout adjacent-an open end; a cap formed with an internal groove to interlock with said ridge; aninwardly and upwardly opening pocket'carried. by said cap to carry a supply of sealing material to be expelled between the cap'and. container by pressureupon the pocket, and a body of absorbent material in said pocket to beainitially saturated with said sealing material.

8. A scalable container comprising, in combination: a. container: carrying an external ridge extending: thereabout adjacent an open end; a cap formed with an internal ridge touinterlock with said first named ridge when the cap is applied; said :last named" ridge formed with an inwardly and upwardly opening pocket. for reception of initially flowable sealing material to be expelled therefrom by pressure to flow. between the opposed surfaces of said cap and container.

9. A scalable container and closure therefor comprising, in combination: a container-body member; a closuremember; an upwardly opening, collapsible pocket carried. by one of said members in position to bring the pocket opening between opposed surfaces .of the members. when assembled; and a body of sealing wax carried wholly in .said pocket; whereby compression of said pocket after at least partialassembly of said members while said wax is in liquid condition. will cause the sealing wax to be expelled from the pocket to flow and congeal between said surfaces.

ELIZABETH M. CARI-IART. 

